LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LITE. 370 



" Dinner was over (half-past four), but the Howtowdy and 

 pigeon-pie brought back, and having cast the coat to it, much to 

 the old lady's amusement, I made a feast. I left Glasgow at half- 

 past six on Thursday morning, and reached Helensburgh about 

 nine. I forgot to say that Blair was at the Mearns, so I did not 

 see him. Monday (that is yesterday) was a broiling day without 

 wind ; not a breath till about twelve, when some yachts started for 

 a cup ; the heat was intense, though there was a canopy over the 

 Orion, in which the party was gathered. We had every thing good 

 in the upper and lower jaw-most line ; and the champagne — a wine 

 I like — flew like winking. This continued till six o'clock, and I had 

 a mortal headache. Race won by the ' Clarence' (her seventh cup 

 this summer), the 'Amethyst' (Smith's yacht) being beaten. At 

 seven we sat down forty-five to dinner in the Baths, so the hotel is 

 called, and we had a pleasant party enough, as far as the heat 

 would suffer." 



"Largs, Sunday, August 2, 1835. 

 " My dear Magg ! — I duly received the governess's letter, and 

 write now to say that two gentlemen are to dine with us in 

 Gloucester Place on Wednesday first, viz., Wednesday, August 

 5th, at six o'clock. Get us a good dinner. It was my intention to 

 write a long letter about us, but how can I ? We have all been at 

 church, and the room is filled with people, and the post goes in an 

 hour. Blair and Frank Wilson and Willy Sym came down per 

 steamer last night, and return to Glasgow to-morrow morning, but 

 Blair has no intention, as far as I know, of returning to Edinburgh. 

 I have just seen him, and no more. The Regatta is over, and 

 Umbs was at the ball here ; 200 people present. To-day is a storm. 

 To-morrow I hope to get to Glasgow, and be home to dinner on 

 Tuesday per mail — sooner not possible — so do try all of you to be 

 contented till then without me. All are well. Your affectionate 

 father, John Wilson, 



" Who sends love to the lave, chickens and dogs included." 



In August, 1836, the Professor, with his wife and two eldest 

 daughters, visited Paisley, where a public dinner was given to 

 him, to which he was accompanied by his friend Thomas Campbell. 

 The meeting was numerously attended, and went off with eclat. 



